As Long As There's Christmas
by VilyaSage
Summary: Chapter 4 posted! The final chapter, and Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone!! Now that the battle's over...what will they do? You will see...Vilya-style! ;) R&R!! ~Vil
1. Isaac's Wonderful Idea

As Long As There's Christmas

Christmas in Golden Sun Form

By: Vilya (Kaede, Norli, and Avaria were various Adept inspirations. There are rumors of a fic about a Djinn Christmas…)

Disclaimer: Ok, the title of the story is also the title of a wonderful and tear-producing song, which I do not own.

A/N: However, the title is perfect for the story. You'll see why…in the end. And this'll be a short one, not long like ALWHI. Maximum five chapters here. No connection to ALWHI, JA, or anything else we've written so far. 

One last note: One BIG thank you and a good deal of praise goes to Feonyx for giving me some GREAT scene ideas and being able to listen to me ramble on about this fic for about an hour. Also to everyone who reads this, because you took the time to do so. And Lea—*sly smirk* be prepared.

Chapter One: Isaac's Wonderful Idea

         Snow fell softly on the village of Vale. It was a quiet day, the sun having only just risen, and the clouds had moved in shortly after dawn. Already the ground was covered and the drifts were piling.

         "Kind of reminds me of Imil on a good day," Garet commented to Isaac, who, lost in his own thoughts as he stared out the window, nodded distantly. 

         "And what would merit a reminder of Imil on a _bad_ day?" Jenna asked. 

         "More snow, and bigger; icy ground; frozen river…a _very_ annoyed and rather outspoken Mercury Adept who we left in Imil recently…and possibly having to climb Mercury Lighthouse all over again. Though that would be an added minus."

         "It can't have been _that_ bad, Garet! I was there, remember?"

         "But _you_ didn't have to fight Saturos, now did you?"

         "My own good luck, I guess. But it does get kind of boring with only you, Isaac, and Felix to talk to."

         "Excuse me?! _You're_ the one who went and got yourself captured by those freaks! You _could_ have come with us to help get the Stars, but _no_, you had to send us _boys_ after them instead! If it weren't for us you wouldn't even be here right now!"

         "That wasn't my _point_, Garet! Ugh! You are _impossible_!!" Jenna screamed, storming into the other room. At the slam of the door, Isaac was shaken from his musings and looked up at Garet, who was glaring at the closed door across the room.

         "You Mars Adepts have such tempers," he commented, and Garet turned on him furiously, only to see his friend's sly grin. "Or perhaps there's _another_ reason for the way you two are always going at each other?"

         "I wouldn't be talking, if I were you," Garet muttered. "I'm certain that _you_ never had a bad day in Imil, or anywhere or anytime afterwards, until we had to leave that last time. Or maybe that day in Jupiter Lighthouse when—" Garet stopped when the smile only widened on Isaac's face. "Ok, I give up. _Why_ are you so cheerful?"

         "Christmas comes in a month," he replied, his eyes getting their characteristic 'I have a plan' sparkle.

         "I know that. We get to eat a big dinner and everything. But why are you smiling _now_?"

         "I actually _was_ listening to you and Jenna having it out, and I had already been thinking about it. What if we brought everyone _here_ to celebrate the holidays?"

         "_Everyone_?!"  

         "Oh, you know what I mean. Sheba, Ivan, Mia, Picard…maybe Megan and Justin, Feizhi, Master Hama…"

         "How long will this list get?"

         "So we've met a lot of people. The point of Christmas is to be with family and friends. As far as I'm concerned, the eight of us are family. And everyone else, in one way or the other, is family to a certain degree."

         "Next he'll want to invite Tret and Laurel," Garet mumbled as he looked skyward.

         "You can't deny the fact that all of us together again is a good idea."

         "No, I can't. But what if none of them want to come?" Isaac gave Garet a cynical look, and Garet sighed. "Ok, you're right, they'll want to come. But we'd better get busy—we've only got a month to work everything out."

                                             ~*~

         "Ivan, could you run this message to the docks for me?" Hammet asked. Ivan sighed. It would mean another run through town, and everyone would call out to him and some of the tourists would ask him plenty of questions he wasn't up to answering. 

         "Honestly," he muttered to himself as he left Hammet's Palace, "I preferred being unknown and alone than famous and pestered to no end."

         "Hello Ivan!" "Good day Ivan!" "How are you, Ivan?" "Aren't you one of the kids who saved the world?" "What was it like?" "Were you afraid?" "Ivan!" Ivan looked up at the last one, having frustratingly dismissed all the others. This voice, however, was a familiar one, and Ivan smiled as the letter carrier approached him.

         "Good morning," Ivan said cheerfully. The one person in all of Kalay who treated him like a normal human being. Well, as normal as he could be.

         "I got a letter fer ya, Ivan!" the man said, fishing an envelope out of his heavy bag. "Got yer name on it, anyway. Mightn' ye be knowin' the name o' the sender?" Ivan took the letter and studied it, grinning.

         "It's mine, thanks. From Isaac, a friend of mine. Thank you very much," Ivan repeated, running for the docks again while reading the letter.

         _Dear Ivan,_

_Garet, Jenna, Felix and I were planning to get everyone together again for a big Christmas party here in Vale. We were hoping you would be able to come. Bring anyone that we've forgotten in our long list of people we've met. In fact, we _have_ forgotten to invite Hammet. Bring him along, if you want. Hope you can make it!_

_         ~Isaac_

PS- Make it here in one piece, please.

         "Wonder what he meant by that," Ivan mused as he neared the docks. "Of course I'm going, though. Anything to get away from this place." He stopped his babbling as he approached the docks themselves. Hammet's message was for the man who ran the ticket counter, so Ivan went inside and delivered the message, stoically putting up with the stares, whispered remarks, and outright questions.

         Rather disgusted now, Ivan shook his head to clear it as he left the building.

         "Ivan!" called a voice, and Ivan fought the urge to scream and run at sonic speed for the next continent. "Hey, Ivan, where're you going?" 

         "Far away from here," Ivan muttered, instantly regretting it as the face of the owner of the voice brought itself forward into his mind. "Aw, Sheba!" he yelled, turning around and waving. "You _know_ I'm sick of people here!"

         "We're lucky we caught you," Sheba said, and she and a familiar blue-haired Lemurian hurried to catch up to him. "We thought you might've left already."

         "Left? Oh, you mean for Vale. Well, I was about to go pack, actually…I only just got the letter today."

         "Then it's good we caught you," Picard said, amusement in his voice. "Isaac _did_ ask that you make it in one piece, and knowing you, Ivan, it won't happen any time soon."

         "Oh very funny. I see you've kept your little sense of humor. But come on…and does one of you happen to have some kind of Invisibility Psynergy? Because if not you won't like the walk back."

         "Is anyone else from Kalay going?" Sheba asked. "I mean, are you inviting Hammet or anyone?"

         "No. I'll leave a message that I've gone for the holidays. And I'll go. Hopefully today. Judging by this letter, it was sent a week ago, and if _mail_ takes that long to get from Vale to Kalay, imagine how long we'll take."

                                             ~*~

         "Anything to escape this darn Imilian winter!" Megan said fervently, and Justin nodded his agreement. Mia sighed. Vale _would_ be a nice vacation of sorts, and she was very much going to enjoy seeing everyone again.

         "Are you both ready?" she asked, and the younger children nodded. "Alright then. Let's go."

         They walked for a while in silence, enjoying the crisp winter air and the shining sunlight. With three weeks left until Christmas, there would be plenty of time to catch up with one another before the holiday.

         A pass had been excavated between Bilibin and Imil, as the cave had become unsafe. "Unsafe my foot," Mia grumbled. "We're the ones who passed through it when it was _really_ dangerous." Goma Cave, however, was still the only way between Bilibin and Vault. 

         In nearly complete silence they traversed Goma Cave, only really speaking at the onset of Trolls, Zombies, or the other inhabitants of the cavern.

         Upon leaving, considerably more tired and weather beaten than they had been when they started, they were enjoying the slightly warmer weather when Mia spotted a pair of familiar faces.

         "Well would you look at that," Mia stated, waving to the two violet-haired figures approaching her. "Feizhi! Master Hama! Nice to see you again!" Mia had told Megan and Justin about the majority of her journey, and these two had been mentioned at least twice each.

         "Likewise, Mia. Though I dread thinking of what you had to put up with while passing through that Sol-forsaken cave," Master Hama said, and Megan and Justin giggled. 

         "Where are the two of you headed?"

         "To Vale," Feizhi said excitedly. "What about you?"

         "We're going to Vale too. For Isaac's Christmas party. Is there anyone else coming from your direction that we should wait for?"

         "Not that I know of. Hsu was invited, but he has other work to do this winter." Feizhi would say no more, and none of the others asked her to. They knew how she felt about Hsu.

                                             ~*~

         The mountain range between Imil and Vale had no formal name. It appeared on most maps as an unmarked stretch of mountains, and few knew or cared about it. Of course, the citizens of Vale cared, for their own Mount Aleph was part of this chain. And the Imilians cared, because these mountains were their borders to the south and west. 

         Deep under these mountains, however, lay hidden a dark and dangerous secret. That secret was emerging now, after a thousand years, waking from its long slumber with a taste for human flesh. It scented its prey on the slight breeze that seeped through the cracks in its mountain dwelling.

         Silently it lifted its head and opened its glowing eyes. It had waited a millennium for this. It could wait a few more days.

                                             ~*~*~

Vil: So there's chapter one. The Christmas ficcy is under way! 

Norli: She won't even tell _us_ what she's planning! It isn't fair!

Vil: I don't want to ruin your surprise. Now sit, be quiet, and wait for chapter two!

Oh, and I have a comment about reviews. Not to complain, and honestly I don't mean to, but reviews along the lines of "GOOD! CONTINUE!" and "MORE SOON!" or even "this sucks" don't really give me insight into what you thought was so good, so suspenseful, or so terrible. So please, when you review, point out things you liked and didn't, and anything you think I can improve upon. Till next time! ~Vil

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	2. Snowballs and Hot Chocolate

As Long As There's Christmas

A/N: Ok, prepare for cliffhanging! Next chapter up in about a week (though it's already finished). Holidays are coming!!

**poetry-freak: ** if you don't like Isaac/Mia fics, don't read them. DUH.

**Triad Orion:** It wasn't Mia hating the weather, it was Megan. Oh well. And thank you for the nice review.

**Reviewer that Left no Name:** You remind me of someone, but it'd be nice if you emailed or SOMETHING with who you actually are on ff.net. thanks for review.

**Alex:** nope, sorry, Alex isn't even mentioned. Hope you like it though—Picard's here, after all ;)

**The EMPRESS:** no whacked snowmen here, thank goodness.

**Jupiter Girl:** It was different people talking to Ivan. Have fun with this though.

**General Failure:** You will see *evil cackle*

Chapter Two: Snowballs and Hot Chocolate

         A week before Christmas, Isaac and Jenna were at the gates of Vale, awaiting the approach of any of the people they'd invited. They were pleasantly surprised when they saw five figures headed their way.

         "Isaac! Jenna!" called one of them, and that particular one ran ahead, waving. 

         "Mia!" Isaac and Jenna cried at the same time, and at once there was an enthusiastic three-person hug. "It's great to see you again," Isaac continued, blushing a little, but it could have been interpreted as redness from the cold.

         "Yeah. Things are boring around here without a world to save," Jenna said sarcastically. Mia laughed and turned around as Megan, Justin, Feizhi and Master Hama caught up to her. 

         "Welcome to Vale," Isaac said formally. "And if you happen to spot a tall, muscular guy who looks like he needs a serious haircut, send him our way, would ya? We're about to do the tree."

         "As long as it isn't a talking tree," Mia said fervently. "I've had my fill of those for the rest of my life," she laughed, and the others laughed with her.

         "Hey, what's so funny around here?" asked a familiar voice. Isaac looked past Mia and spotted three more new arrivals.

         "Sheba!" "Picard!" "Mia!" "Isaac!" "Jenna!" "Ivan!" yelled a chorus of voices. They practically ran at each other, ending up in one big, laughing pile of Adepts in the snow. 

         "Yah! Isaac, get off me! Come on, I'm smaller than you!" Ivan yelped as Isaac scooped up snow and dropped it on his head. Sheba giggled, which sent Mia and Jenna into giggling fits as well.

         "Would you look at that, Felix," Garet said loudly from where he stood. Felix shook his head disapprovingly. "They're leaving us out of all their fun!"

         "Oh yeah?!" Jenna yelled back, standing and holding a snowball behind her back. "Well, you two can _eat my snow_!" Felix and Garet ducked as a barrage of snowballs came at them.

         "Hey! Jenna, I'm _family_!" Felix gasped, then gave up trying to negotiate and launched a snowball of his own. Feizhi yelped as it hit her in the back of the head, turning and throwing two at once. Soon even Hama, Megan and Justin were in on it.

         Picard, grinning devilishly, formed snowballs in his hands using Psynergy and targeted Isaac. About to launch a missile of his own, Isaac yelped in surprise and dropped the snowball as Picard's barrage hit him. The Mercury Adept exploded into laughter—laughter that lasted until he was knocked flat on his face by a similar attack.

         "MIA!" Felix yelled, having also been the victim of one of her Psynergy blasts. "It's not fair! You're a Mercury Adept! You can use your Psynergy!"

         Mia turned to him with a decidedly evil grin. "I know."

         Jenna and Garet had almost immediately split off, firing on each other and occasionally on someone who hit them. "I may despise snow," Garet said, "but I'm going to beat you with it!"

         "Not if I beat you first!" Jenna yelled back, and launched herself at Garet, knocking him down. The two of them rolled down the short incline, gathering snow until they stopped. Or rather, until a tree stopped them.

         "Well…that was…interesting," Sheba offered, but her mind turned back to the snowball fight as Hama surrounded her with a snowy whirlwind. "Psynergy. My specialty," Sheba said quietly, using a few wind tricks of her own.

         _Here we are again_, Isaac thought with a grin. _All of us together, where we belong. _

                                             ~*~

         About an hour later, twelve very cold, tired, and hungry people lay sprawled on the snow. "Can we tell who won, or is it a draw?" Felix asked no one in particular.

         "You know, that ice ball I hit him with may have done serious damage," Isaac said sarcastically. "Maybe I should have thrown it at Jenna instead." He immediately regretted this as a veritable mountain of snow was piled on top of him.

         "Would you snow-loving Adepts be in any kind of mood for lunch?" Dora asked, having spotted Jenna when she stood.

         "LUNCH!" was the resounding yell, and there was a stampede for Isaac's house.

         "We don't all fit," Picard noted from the doorway. Isaac came up behind him and gave him a little shove. "What?"

         "We'll fit. It's not like we all fit into that cabin on the ship, either," Isaac pointed out. After some sorting out and an incident with Ivan and the table, they found that they _did_ fit, and sat down to enjoy Dora's wonderful cooking and some hot chocolate.

         "Come on, Garet, you _know_ I would have beat you," Jenna said, punching him playfully in the arm. 

         "In your dreams, maybe," Garet retaliated. "My nightmares."

         "Look at the little lovebirds," Ivan chirped, and he, Megan and Justin giggled. 

         "Say it again, Jupiter boy, and you'll be dangling out the window by the back of your shirt," Jenna threatened. 

                                             ~*~

         "The tree?" Mia asked Isaac as they walked back to the Plaza that afternoon. 

         "The tree. The Christmas tree, you know, with the ornaments and such. It takes all the Venus Adepts in Vale to make it work…oh, you'll see," Isaac said mysteriously, raising an eyebrow and earning a giggle from Mia that gave him a fuzzy warm feeling inside.

         "Isaac," Garet whispered, and Isaac looked at him questioningly. "You're blushing," Garet said with an incriminating smirk. Instead of replying, Isaac shoved him into a snowbank. 

         They had reached the Plaza by then, and a cluster of people was gathered around a pine sapling in the center of the Plaza. Isaac and Felix rushed to join them, taking their places in the small circle.

         On some unseen and unspoken cue, each of the Venus Adepts cast their version of Growth on the tree. And grow it did. Straight up, until it towered over every house in Vale. The giant pine was three stories and more tall, and the Adepts stopped their Psynergy.

         "Any higher and it would fall over from its own weight," Sheba speculated. 

         "Or the wind would knock it down," Ivan added. 

         The Venus Adepts stepped back from the tree then, and there was resounding applause. "We have a Christmas tree," said the Mayor, and silence fell over the crowd. "However, for it to be Christmas, we need some _lights_!" This last word was yelled, and all at once, multicolored balls of Psynergetic light sprang forth and covered the tree.

         Mia and Picard jumped in surprise before adding their own Psynergy lights to the tree. Sheba, Megan and Justin merged all three of theirs into one violet and indigo sphere, and Ivan messed with his a bit until it resembled the basic shape of a Jupiter Djinni. Hama, having known about the tradition from Dora, put a comforting hand on Feizhi's shoulder. 

         "I know you feel bad, Feizhi," she said, and Feizhi nodded sadly. She was not an Adept, and couldn't take part in this particular celebration. 

         Her sadness turned to surprise when she found herself lifted off the ground and held in the air. An ornament of some kind was placed in her hands, and she looked down at Garet, obviously using the Carry Psynergy to keep her in the air like this.

         "Hang the first ornament," he said with a shrug and a small grin. Feizhi happily obliged. Soon ornaments were flying up from every direction to hang on the tree.

         "You put no star at the top?" Sheba asked Jenna, and Jenna smiled. 

         "We put a sunstar at the top, the morning of Christmas Eve," she said excitedly. "And that night, everyone places their gifts under the tree. Christmas morning we come and get our own gifts, and then there's a big celebration lasting almost the whole night long. It's great."

         "It must be nice to have other Adepts around to celebrate with."

         "Why do you think we brought you _here_?! Come on, don't look so depressed. I'm no fan of snow, but Christmas _has_ to by my favorite holiday of all time!" Unable to resist Jenna's cheerful attitude, Sheba smiled.

         "Oh no!" Mia cried, and Ivan and Picard turned to look at her. Almost automatically Ivan read her mind, and his own face paled.

         "Oh no indeed. Presents, Picard," he said to the obviously confused Mercury Adept. "Christmas presents. For _everyone_. We have six…no, five days!"

         "Then we should get started with our shopping," Mia said determinedly. 

         "Stand back, Picard, Ivan," Garet advised, coming up behind them. "When girls get in a shopping mood, walls come down."

                                             ~*~

         The mountain creature's eyes snapped open and it stood for the first time in centuries. It let out a roar that shook the very foundations of its mountain home. Slowly, silently, it unfolded its wings and began to rise upward.

         Its time had come.

                                             ~*~

         Frantic Adepts spent the next week shopping, baking, decorating, cleaning, and in general panicking. There were times when Isaac, put to work as Dora got more and more rushed, thought he would _never_ get it all done.

         But when Christmas Eve dawned, bright and clear, Vale practically glowed in Christmas spirit. And Isaac, Garet, Ivan, Mia, Felix, Jenna, Sheba and Picard each took hold of one of the points of the great eight-pointed sunstar and were lifted to the top of the tree by the Psynergy of every person in Vale. 

         They had made it back to the ground and were milling about, talking to each other and the other residents of Vale, when Isaac quietly pulled Mia aside. Garet saw this and winked, giving his friend the thumbs-up sign. Isaac made a rather obscene sign back, and Garet chuckled.

         "So…enjoying Vale's Christmas?" Isaac asked Mia casually.

         "Very much. Everything's so…cozy here. Like you're all one big family instead of a bunch of different ones."

         "It's always been like that here. Listen, Mia…" Isaac trailed off. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Garet frantically waving at him, but ignored the Mars Adept's actions. What he had to do was more important.

         "Yes Isaac?"

         "Well…you see…ever since Imil, I've wanted to tell you—LOOK OUT!"

         "You have?" Mia asked, perplexed. "But you've already  said that to me many times, so I don't know why you'd…Isaac, you look scared…oh come on," she said in an annoyed tone. "You don't _really_ expect me to believe that something's actually…behind…me…" As she said this she turned around, and in slow motion tilted her head back…and back…and back. By this point she was staring into one great, red, glowing eye.

         "GREAT GOD OF THE NORTH WINDS!" she shrieked. "What _is_ that thing?!"

         "I believe it's called a dragon, Mia," Ivan said sardonically. "We fought one at the top of Venus Lighthouse, remember?"

         "Ivan, shut up," Jenna and Garet said at the same time. As one, the entirety of Vale stared up at the monstrous creature.

         It was twice as tall as their tree, with scales as black as the deepest darkness, twin horns that spiraled and literally dripped with deadly poison, claws larger than the tallest human, and a wicked spiked tail that could snap head from neck before one knew the other was missing.

         And two glowing red orbs that only hinted at the true power of the fires within.

         Isaac instantly switched into leader mode, face going, as Felix had described it once, "like a statue with charisma," and assuming a stance that told others he knew what he was doing.

         "Everyone," he called, and all sound ceased. "Take shelter in the sanctum. Do not leave, no matter what you hear. Now GO!" Isaac yelled, and as one the citizens of Vale ran for the Sanctum. Dora cast a long look over her shoulder at Isaac, her only son and the only one she had left.

         And suddenly they were alone. Isaac, Felix, Garet, Jenna, Ivan, Sheba, Mia and Picard, against the great Dragon of Shadows. 

         "On three," Isaac said, "we Summon. Straight-out, pure-element Summons, until we find out what can kill this thing. One…" Everyone readied themselves for the sudden rush of power that Summoning would create.

         Two sets of eyes glanced back and forth in a flash of a second, and the same thoughts entered the minds of the owners of those eyes. _What if I die and never get the chance to tell?****_

         "Two…" In unison, eight hands were thrown skyward, and the words formed in eight minds.

         "Three," Isaac said determinedly, but before any more could be said, the Dragon of Shadows opened its mouth wide and launched a ball of liquid flame straight at them all.

                                             ~*~*~

Vil: CLIFFHANGERS! I know I'm evil. But I must leave it off here. To prepare you for the next chapter. And I'm getting so excited about this, it'll be hard not to post it all at one time. Four chapters minimum now. So, review please!

No magic arrow this time. I just want to know what everyone thinks. And please remember the thing about reviewing with actual COMMENTS. Thank you.


	3. Victory and Defeat

As Long As There's Christmas

*Vil looks up as the doorbell rings* Now see, they told me not to open the door. Besides, I don't want a pizza.

VOICE AT DOOR: Hey! It's the mailman! Can you sign this?

Vil: Oh, ok, hold on…*opens door to rabid angry ff.net readers* Be aware, before you charge at me and basically wreak havoc, that if I'm not here, the story's never finished.

*rabid angry ff.net readers consider this for a moment, then turn and skulk off*

Vil: Thank God. But, here's the next chapter!! (there IS a chapter to come!)

**Ivan:** There's a NEW magic arrow this time! But you have to read the fic to get there!

**Triad Orion:** Hopefully you weren't in that angry mob just then. And this is technically a cliffhanger also.

**Griffinkhan: **Caught me did you? Actually, there was supposed to be a line _describing_ why the Valeans all left so quickly (basically because of Isaac's commanding attitude), but it got…lost I guess.

**Midnight C:** *gasps* the almighty author that I've heard so much about has REVIEWED A FIC OF MINE! *parties* But thanks for the review (and the compliments ;) ) and I hope you enjoy this chapter too…

**Alex:** Tell Akiko that Kaede and Norli have informed me that they found Isaac. *shrugs* whatever that means. And YES PICARD! (Just for fun, now) POW POW PICARD! *giggles madly*

**Miss Black Dragon:** You wouldn't happen to be related to Mr. Black Dragon that made his way into Vale now, would you?

And the usual to **Feonyx**, **Telperion**, **Jupiter Girl** and YOU WHO DO NOT LEAVE YOUR NAME, TELL ME WHO YOU ARE!!!!! 

Chapter Three: Victory and Defeat

            The fireball was moving at lightning speed. Somehow, Garet managed to move faster.

            "Unleash Flash!" he yelled, and the Mars Djinni appeared, turning into a fiery barrier that surrounded the eight Adepts. It was no match for the dragon's fire, however, which broke apart the barrier and hit Garet head-on. He was thrown backwards and into a cliff face.

            "Garet!" yelled Jenna, turning towards him, ready to run. He stood up, though, with a grin and a little wave. Jenna instantly faced the dragon again.

            "Wait a second…" she said, and she and Felix locked eyes, each of them coming to the same conclusion. "If we go on like this, one of these fireballs will take Vale with it. Turn the dragon around!" 

            Isaac, hearing her, began running around the base of the big Christmas tree, the others following close behind. They only stopped when their backs were to the gates of Vale.

            The dragon, however, would spare nothing in its rage, and turned quickly, knocking the tree aside with a swipe of one huge claw. It roared, swiping its other claw at Jenna, launching her backwards several feet. She landed hard and there was a sharp snapping sound.

            "Mia," Isaac said softly, and the Mercury Adept nodded, sprinting full out towards Jenna. Garet's power surged within him, and he let out a yell that shook nearby plants and rocks. 

            "Pyroclasm!" he cried, and great waves of Mars Psynergy exploded around the dragon, knocking it in several directions at once. The great black monster, however, seemed not to notice.

            "Mother Gaia!" Isaac called, and boulders, not rocks or stones but outright boulders, pelted the dragon from every fathomable angle. And still the thing stood, unfazed. It roared and launched another fireball, this time at Ivan, who took advantage of his Jupiter speed and dove out of the way, coming up in time to Summon before the dragon found him again.

            "Powers of Jupiter! I summon Thor!" Ivan yelled, and the sky grew dark. A being as tall as the dragon descended, wielding a mighty hammer and literally crackling with power. The hammer shot an enormous bolt of electricity at the dragon, which reeled back, obviously affected by the charge.

            Mia and Jenna had made their way back by this time, and each of them had a Summons of their own.

            "Powers of Mercury! I summon Boreas!" A giant cannon-like Summons, Boreas launched a barrage of immense icy missiles upon the dragon. This seemed to have the most effect so far, crippling the beast visibly.

            "Powers of Mars! I summon Meteor!" was Jenna's cry. She smiled in grim satisfaction as the flaming stones bombarded the dragon from above. She was not smiling a moment later, when a swipe of the beast's tail launched her, Ivan and Garet into the air. There were three thuds as they landed, but, though they desperately wanted to, none of the remaining Adepts could go to their friends. They were needed where they were.

            Picard and Mia, at a silent signal from Isaac, each launched the most powerful Mercury Psynergy they could at the dragon. It staggered back, visibly and greatly weakened.

            "It's Mars-aligned," Sheba said. "Isaac, you and Felix will be all but useless if you continue. Do not get angry with me, Isaac. You know what I say is true." Isaac did know it was true, but all who heard Sheba's words also knew that Isaac wouldn't care.

            "Garet, Jenna and Ivan may be dead, Sheba," he said evenly, not for a moment losing his iron-hard Venus calm. "If they are, I'm not going down until this thing dies. If they're alive, I'm _still_ not going down until this thing dies."

            "So basically," Felix said, almost smiling, "you're not going down until this thing dies."

            "Precisely."

            "Then can we make it soon? Only, you know, take out the part about you going down."

            Instead of replying, Isaac tossed his sword at the dragon with the precise aim that came from years of practice with a sword. This, however, was the Gaia Blade, armed with its own kind of attack.

            "Titan Blade!" Isaac cried, and the sword grew to an immense size and became limned in Venus Psynergy. With a flash it struck and embedded itself in the dragon's left eye.

            The creature roared in agony, thrashing about wildly. Its tail lashed out blindly, striking Picard with full force and sending him skidding into the trunk of a tree…and then through that trunk and into a deep snowdrift. 

            Mia fought the instinct to run after him and see if he was alright. _I have to stay here_, she told herself firmly. But all of them could see that slowly, one by one, they were falling.

            Taken my a sudden rage that to anyone who knew her well was quite uncharacteristic of her, Sheba launched herself into the air and called upon every ounce of Jupiter Psynergy she could. And that was a powerful force indeed. The dragon visibly felt each blow, weakening by the moment. Sheba at last dropped to the ground and collapsed in exhaustion.

            "It won't take much more," Isaac said, and Felix came to stand beside him and Mia knelt at Sheba's side. Isaac regarded Felix carefully. "Felix. I know you're worried about them. Go." Felix looked at Isaac quizzically, but caught the fire burning in the Venus Adept's eyes and ran off to locate Jenna, Garet and the rest.

            Isaac stood with all the poise and prowess of a master, the crisp winds whipping his golden scarf out behind him and blowing through his hair. In that one frozen moment, two turquoise blue eyes were transfixed on that heroic form.

            "Creature of darkness and fire," Isaac began, and the dragon fixed him with its one good eye. "You will not take the lives of my friends and family without paying for your actions!" And, power practically glowing in the air around him, Isaac threw both hands skyward.

            "Powers of Venus! I summon all of you!"

            Venus, glowing golden light in angry attacking fireball form, rained upon the dragon in devastating blows. Ramses, the giant pyramid-like summons with fists of stone, pummeled the dragon with the force of an avalanche. Cybele, the guardian and mother of the earth itself, strangled and entangled the dragon in thorny creeper vines.

            And Judgment, the greatest Venus Summons known, brought the giant golden sphere of pure Venus essence and power bearing down on the vile monster, in one final shattering blow.

            The dragon collapsed. With its last bit of energy it lifted its head and charged forward, wickedly twisted, venom-riddled horn driving straight for Isaac.

            He never had time to move.

            The horn ran him through, emerging from his back as the dragon faded into grey, and then nothing. The horn alone remained. Mia let out a cry of disbelief as Isaac gasped softly, then collapsed on the snowy ground.

            "Isaac, no!" Mia whispered, falling to her knees beside him. Tears spilled down her cheeks, landing in the snow and freezing into little beads of glassy ice.

                                                            ~*~

            Felix made his way up the snowy cliffs, deciding that Picard, being closer and generally more helpful when it came to healing (Jenna, while capable of it, preferred to spend her time and Psynergy attacking), was the best one to look for first. 

            Felix found him, sprawled against a large, snow-covered rock. He almost had to turn away at the sight—the way the Lemurian looked would not have been a favorable one for a Hobgoblin. 

            "Should I argue this out with myself, or just trust it to luck?" he asked aloud, thanking Sol when there was no forthcoming reply from any form of Djinn. He suspected there had been some kind of colossal Summoning, because a fraction of his power was draining even as he thought of it.

            "Potent Cure," Felix said, his brain agreeing that it was worth a try. Picard almost instantly looked much more like his human self and less like a pile of discarded cooking utensils. Felix, pondering how one actually _could_ resemble a pile of discarded cooking utensils, was startled when Picard stood and crossed his arms, regarding Felix with calculating gold eyes.

            "Yes?" Felix asked, returning the gaze and stance.

            "You're here. Alive, I might add. My first assumption is we won. However, no one else is with you. That leads me to believe that my…services…are required." Picard smirked and raised one eyebrow. Felix sighed.

            "We have to find Garet, Jenna and Ivan. Remember when they were thrown up there?" Felix asked rhetorically, indicating with a sweep of his arm the cliff face where, amazingly, a small form stood.

            With a glance at each other and a flash of memory of a long-ago trek through a jungle on an island, Picard and Felix ran for whoever it was that had stood.

            Upon arrival, they found it was Ivan, standing and squinting down at the still-ongoing battle with the Dragon of Shadows. "Isaac looks like he summoned, maybe," he said as Picard and Felix healed Garet and Jenna, respectively. 

            "Ivan?" all four asked together, and he glanced back over his shoulder and smirked.

            "You two," he said in Felix and Picard's respective directions, "always ask the same question. The answer, assuming I have the right version of question, is yes. Now can we…" Ivan trailed off as Judgment's glow manifested itself behind him.

            "Sure thing," Garet said, and, Felix leading the way, they hurried back to where Isaac, Mia, Sheba and the dragon were waiting.

            Approaching them and seeing no dragon anywhere in sight, Felix's face took on a smile that threatened to break his face.

            "Isaac, you wouldn't believe our luck, everyone's…fine…ISAAC!" Felix yelled, beginning to run. Picard, Garet, Ivan and Jenna quickly followed suit. Together the five of them managed to pull the horn out of Isaac, and blood began to turn the snow a dark crimson.

            Mercury light surrounding her, Mia pulled power from reserves she'd never known she possessed, throwing it all at once into Isaac and praying to whatever spirit would listen that he would be alright.

            Isaac's wound closed completely, no trace of it even visible beneath his torn tunic and shirt. The poison vanished, burned out by the pure energy of Mercury. But the great warrior that Mia held tightly in her arms made no move and drew no breath. And each of the friends were brought to tears as they came to the full realization of the event that had just taken place.

            Isaac was dead.

            Mia, sobbing, looked up at the sky. The sun burned brightly, and it was not long past noon. Still, everything seemed darker, and the sun provided only uncomfortable heat, not any light that seemed real.

            As though she had formed it from her own thought, a shaft of pure and brilliant sunlight descended, hitting a spot directly in front of where Mia knelt.

            The light split into five pillars of colored light, one each of green, red, blue, violet and gold. The forms resembled humans somewhat, but were obviously as far from human as it was possible to get and still look like one.

            "The statues," Garet whispered. "From Venus Lighthouse. They look like those…statues we had to shove around." 

            There was a sound like a fanfare chorus of angels singing, and the five forms surrounded Isaac briefly, then disappeared.

            Hopefully, almost fearfully, the Adepts looked at Isaac's still form, anticipating any hint or clue that would let them know what had just occurred. 

            But Isaac did not move, nor did he even breathe. Mia felt the darkness descending again as she looked down at the face of one of her dearest friends. Unable to stand it any longer, she gave in to her grief and wept.

                                                            ~*~*~

Vil: *sobbing* that…was…so…SAD! *outright cries*

Kaede: Vil, it's your ficcy. You knew it would happen.

Vil: Yes, but…its TERRIBLE! There _is_ another chapter coming though, but you get NO HINTS about what happens. The next chapter should be the last. *wipes eyes* any angry reviews will be forgiven due to the fact that you guys have no clue of what's still to come…*cries again* I'll be crying all through the fourth chapter…

Kaede: Review with COMMENTS, not just one-or-two-worders, please.

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	4. As Long As There's Christmas

As Long As There's Christmas

A/N: Final chapter. We see what happens in Vale now that…well…you'll see.

And to Feonyx…there's a Christmas present/surprise in here for you. You'll have to find it, though. ;)

Chapter Four: As Long As There's Christmas (yes, I _know_ that's the title of story. Bear with me.)

         _Colors swirled around in an endless, ever-shifting pattern. Trapped there, the lone figure was unable to move or speak, only listen as the voices in the distance grew ever closer._

_         "We have no choice! It was the time!" cried the voice of raging fire and glowing embers, and the red tones in the void of color flashed angrily._

_         "This one was chosen. Mars speaks the truth. It was the time," said a more perceptive, penetrating voice, the voice of gentle breezes and stormy gales, and the violet streaks grew brighter steadily. The color was becoming blinding, burning through the trapped one's closed eyes._

_         "Love deserves a second chance," argued the voice of tranquil waters and raging waterfalls. "Love should stand unhindered above all, and may nothing try to oppose it!" Blue that ranged from sky-colored to deep indigo began to glitter with the power behind the voice._

_         "The child is mine. I cannot pass judgment," said the epitome of utter calm, the voice of vibrant new growth and immovable mountain. "Be it known that I would side with Mercury in any case." Green light flashed brilliantly, seeming the brightest of all to the trapped figure, now overwhelmed by the brightness and intensity of the color._

_         "Know that all has been heard and taken into account," said the final voice, that of bright sunlight reflected on ocean waters, giving life to green things, brighter than the brightest fires and revealed by gusts of wind. It was the voice of the golden light, which grew in brightness until it overpowered all the rest._

_         "The time was not right. There is still too much this one has to give. The decision is made." There was a finality to the tone of the voice of golden light, and at once all the colors united, and then with a powerful flash, disappeared._

_         As did the figure previously held within._

                                             ~*~

         "Mia, come on, we should…we should…" Jenna trailed off, looking at the still form of her childhood friend. Isaac lay unmoving in Mia's arms, and the Mercury Adept's sobs were loud enough that they echoed off the cliffs of Vale.

         "She's right, Mia," Picard said, putting a comforting hand on Mia's shoulder as he knelt beside her. "We have to go."

         "I won't leave him," Mia said stubbornly, the tears still flowing full force. "There's still a chance! There has to be!"

         "Isaac was my closest friend," Garet said, and Mia's enraged glare snapped up to meet his. For the first time in his life, the Mars Adept was unfazed. "I would never give up on him, Mia. Never. And I know you wouldn't, either. But this time, we have to. He's…he's gone…"

         The sight of Garet breaking into tears at this sudden realization seemed to bring everyone to the reality of the situation. Even Felix, so unused to showing emotion, was crying silently, even as he comforted Jenna, who was steadily soaking the left shoulder of his green cloak.

         "I really don't see…why you make…such a fuss…" whispered a soft voice.

         All time seemed to stop. The seven Adepts all locked eyes simultaneously (a feat indeed) and then fixed their gazes on the one who had spoken.

         "ISAAC!" was the resounding yell, and it rebounded off the cliff walls and seemed to ring from the peak of Mount Aleph. Picard jumped up and into the air with a whoop of exhilaration. Tears of sadness transformed instantly into tears of joy, and Ivan was on the verge of dancing, it seemed.

         "How, Isaac?" Mia asked quietly, and, hearing her amidst the joyful yells of his friends, he smiled.

         "I saw…I heard…the Elemental Spirits…they brought me back…" Isaac looked into Mia's eyes, and aquamarine locked onto azure as Isaac said the words that had been threatening to burst ever since so long ago, at Mercury Lighthouse.

         "I love you, Mia." Expecting a reply, Isaac's eyes widened as she hugged him fiercely, tears spilling again. Slowly, he pushed himself up and smiled, gently pulling her into a soft, sweet kiss.

         "We really did it, didn't we," Sheba said slowly. "We saved Vale…again," she added dryly, and everyone laughed. 

         "Oh no! Everyone's still in the Sanctum, probably," Felix said, feigning shock. "We'd better tell them that there's still a Christmas to have, in Vale."

         "Tree," Ivan pointed out, and Felix groaned. 

         "We'll deal with the tree," Isaac said, standing and leaning on Mia's shoulder for support. "We'll deal with everything. We're all alive, and that's what counts."

         "Don't I know it," Garet said, hurriedly wiping the tears from his face and giving Isaac a hearty clap on the shoulder that nearly sent him flying. Mia glared, as did Picard, and Garet backed away, hands in the air.

         "Sheesh. You people. Jenna, I'm glad you've still got some of that fire left in you, or I'd be toast." Garet grinned, and Jenna turned to him with an evil smirk. Anyone watching would have sword she'd grown a tail and horns and was holding a pitchfork.

         "You may yet be toast!" she yelled, launching a snowball his way. Garet yelped and ran off, Jenna following quickly behind. Shrieks of laughter were heard long after the Mars Adepts had passed out of sight. 

         Mia, Isaac, Picard and Sheba turned and headed for Isaac's house. Ivan and Felix looked at each other and shared a resigned sigh.

         "To the Sanctum!" said a voice, and Kite popped onto Ivan's head.

         "Very big mosquitoes this year," Ivan commented dryly. "Honestly, Kite, no one made you captain."

         "Captain of what?" Kite and Felix asked at the same time.

         "It was the first high-ranking term I could think of," Ivan explained. "Let's go."

                                             ~*~

         "How come _I_ have to fix the tree?!" Felix complained. Bane, sitting atop a mound of snow shaped vaguely throne-like, gave him a disgusted look.

         "Vine! Sap! Help the boy, will you?" Bane ordered, waving a twig about like a royal scepter.

         "Who made you king?" Vine asked disdainfully.

         "King Bane of the Venus Djinn!" said Duo excitedly.

         "Too young for his own good," Sap said with a shake of her head. "But we'll help you Felix."

         "Thank you," Felix said with an exasperated sigh. Using Carry Psynergy, he lifted the tree back into its original position and held it as he cast Growth at the same time. Vine and Sap put their own powers to work, and soon the tree was exactly as though it had never broken off in the first place.

         The Psynergy lights were still attached and intact, but some of the ornaments were broken. "Quartz!" ordered King Bane, and Quartz flashed into a bow in front of the arrogant-seeming Venus Djinni.

         Bane made smug noises of approval until he was hit full on in the face by a barrage of Djinn-sized snowballs. Quartz, Vine, Sap and Duo giggled insanely for a moment. Quartz, still laughing, fixed as many of the ornaments as he could, then disappeared.

         "Whippersnappers!" Bane called after the other Djinn as they too flashed out. "Kids, all of them! Lazy good-for-nothing little…I oughta just…" Still grumbling, Bane disappeared as well. Felix sighed and shook his head.

         "They might make good ornaments," Ivan mused, and Felix's evil smirk had him staggering back. "Don't _do_ that! It makes me think of back when you were evil!"

         "Do you want me to attach _you_ to this tree, Ivan?" Felix asked, grin still in place. "Because I _can_ do it. Quite quickly." 

         "I won't make a good ornament!!" Ivan yelped, and he backed away a few steps through the now-waist-high snow, toppling over and groaning as flurries buried him completely.

         "No," said Kite, reappearing as Ivan stood, a snowy, wet mess, "but you do make an interesting snowman."

         "Is the tree set right, Felix?" asked a voice behind him, and he turned to see the mayor of Vale along with several others, his grandparents among them.

         "Sure, though your sentence had double meanings, if you paused to consider it," Felix said straight-faced. Ivan rolled his eyes.

         "You are going to confuse the lot of them, being a Venus Adept but using Jupiter logic on them. Sheesh."

                                             ~*~

         "I thought we were all dead," Jenna said quietly. She and Garet had long ago given up their snowball war and were now walking, side by side, along the cliff atop which sat the house where Kraden had once lived.

         "We've fought a dragon before. It was Saturos and Menardi in dragon form, but same basic idea. As I recall, Ivan hadn't been doing so hot by then." Garet's eyes glazed a bit as his mind wandered the paths of memory.

         "It was Christmas then, too, you know. Well, almost. It was winter, at least."

         "I know. The thought of Vale being destroyed, possibly never having a Christmas again, was what kept us all going. Especially when we had to fight those darn talking trees. They were intimidating!"

         "But today…I thought I'd never get the chance to tell you…" Jenna stopped suddenly and looked down at the ground. A few snowflakes were falling, and stray ones lit in her hair and made her seem, to Garet's eyes, like something ethereal. Of course, Garet did not _know_ the word ethereal, but he knew what he meant.

         "There _is_ something I've wanted to tell you for a long time, Jenna," Garet said, and Jenna looked at him again questioningly. "See, I've been waiting for years to tell you LOOK OUT!" he yelled, and as Jenna spun about, Garet grinned and stepped closer to her.

         She spun back around angrily, ready to tell Garet off or possibly Flare him, and instead found herself caught in a tight embrace.

         "Look out…because you never know what I've got planned," Garet said slyly, and Jenna laughed.

         "And I thought I would die without ever being able to tell you how much…" they said suddenly, together, and in a flash they had let go of one another and were regarding each other curiously.

         "How much I love you," they finished together. 

                                             ~*~

         The sun was turning the sky beautiful pink and gold Christmas morning, as the sleepy citizens of Vale emerged to find their presents under the big tree.

         Garet lifted a box with his name on it and tore off the wrapping paper, looking at the treasure-chest-like container in his hands. Almost instantly, it doubled in size and he dropped it, yelping as it sprouted spiderlike legs, fangs and eyes.

         "Mimic!" he yelled, and Ivan and Sheba nearly collapsed in laughter as the walking treasure chest began to chase the Mars Adept here and there. 

         "Wonderful present idea, Sheba," Ivan said.

         Jenna shook her head and smiled as Garet ran past, and she opened the present she had received from him. It was a staff weapon, topped by a sharp-edged crescent moon set with red gemstones.

         "It's _perfect_!" she cried, jumping on Garet's back as he passed her by again and hugging him tightly enough to make him think he would prefer the Mimic.

         Isaac and Mia stood together a little way apart from everyone else. Together they looked at the newest ornament on the great tree—a giant dragon's horn suspended by a yellow scarf.

         "A symbol of honor, bravery, and courage against impossible odds," Mia said reflectively.

         "Not to mention a good reason to hope we never have a Christmas like this one again," Isaac said fervently.

         "Here," Mia said, blushing as she handed him a lumpy thing wrapped in metallic blue. "Merry Christmas," she said as he opened a _new_ scarf, this one gold like the first but with little bits of other colors thrown in here and there.

         "Listen, Mia…about before…you've been acting so distant, ever since I told you…"

         "About loving me. I know. Listen, Isaac, do you remember the story of Daidalos and Iris?"

         "You mean how he was so moronic about loving her that it took him forever to realize she loved him just as much, if not more?"

         "Well, I wouldn't say you've been moronic…" Mia trailed off coyly.

         "Then you…you…" Isaac's face turned as red as Garet's hair.

         "Merry Christmas, Isaac," Mia repeated. 

         "And this is for you," Isaac said, pulling a tiny box from his pocket and handing it to Mia. She opened it slowly, gasping when she saw the glinting blue jewel of an amulet.

         "Isaac, it's _beautiful_! And I can feel power in it…what is this?"     

         "The Mercury Amulet. When I was…when the Elemental Spirits were talking, Mercury spoke up to defend love. I figured I owed you one."

         "Me? I wasn't involved."

         "It sounded like you, and felt like you. And none deserve it more than you do…Mia." Slowly, Isaac and Mia leaned toward each other.

         "There _is _a party to get ready for, you know," Ivan said with a smirk. He glanced over his shoulder to Garet, beating the Mimic down with a stick, and Picard and Felix trying to control a veritable horde of Djinn, and sighed.

         "And by the look of things, it's going to be quite a celebration."

                                             ~*~

         Music played, Psynergy lights twinkled, a few snowflakes fell, and the Djinn ran about causing general havoc. Aside from the Djinn, Isaac saw this as just another Christmas. A Christmas he was very thankful for.

         "Ground! Hail! Get away from there!" Picard yelled, chasing down the diminutive creatures as they knocked over several trays of food.

         "Zephyr! Chili! Bane, control them!" Felix cried miserably, being pelted from all angles by all four types of Djinn wielding snowballs. "I thought Mars Djinn didn't _like_ snow!"

         "And I thought people were smart enough to know the crazy ones from the normal ones," Breeze remarked from his perch among the branches of the giant tree.

         "We're all crazy," said Dew with a grin. "Some of us just hide it better."

         The eight Adepts, Megan, Justin, Hama and Feizhi shared a table, making it quite crowded. Garet amused them all with the way he devoured the chili (the Djinni who shared a name with the food only looked at him disgustedly), and Picard and Sheba offered tales of Christmases in Lemuria and Lalivero, respectively. 

         Suddenly the music stopped, and everyone was silent. Isaac knew midnight, and their celebration's end, was fast approaching, but he was interested to see what the instrument players (not rightly called a band) had in mind.

         Slowly, a flute played the first strains of a melody. One by one the other instruments joined in. With a start, each Adept realized that they knew the words to this particular Christmas song.

         "There is more to this time of year…" Mia began softly, and the others looked at her. A bit louder and more confidently, with images of Mercury Lighthouse running through her mind, she stood and began again.

_There is more to this time of year,_

_Than sleigh bells and holly,_

_Mistletoe and snow,_

_Those things will come and go_

Ivan and Garet were the next to join in, rising and thinking of the day they had crossed the Lamakan Desert and fought the Manticore. It had been right after Ivan had learned Reveal, and the hot desert temperatures had affected even Garet. 

_Don't look inside a stocking,_

_Don't look under a tree,_

_The one thing we're looking for,_

_Is something we can't see_

         Jenna's clear alto and Sheba's ringing soprano joined in as the next verse began and they stood. Both had been captured by Saturos and Menardi and knew better than any with the possible exception of Felix what it was like. It was quite easy for them to get into the holiday spirit.

_Far more precious than silver,_

_And more splendid than gold,_

_This is something to treasure,_

_But it's something we can't hold_

         The music and singing softened for a moment, and Picard, quite surprised that the verses were the same both in Lemuria and here in Vale, sang the chorus alone, his melodious and slightly accented voice adding to the wonder of the night.

_As long as there's Christmas, _

_I truly believe,_

_That hope is the greatest,_

_Of the gifts we'll receive_

         Isaac and Felix joined then, the words they sang ringing clearly in the night, each of them thinking of better times in the past and better times that lay ahead. 

_As we all stand together,_

_It's a time to rejoice_

         And here, every voice of everyone in Vale, visitor or no, rang out in perfect harmony.

_And though we may be different,_

_We'll all sing with one voice!_

_As long as there's Christmas,_

_I truly believe, _

_That hope is the greatest,_

_Of the gifts we'll receive_

         It then fell to Garet and Jenna, hands locked and eyes smiling, to continue. The Mars Adepts did so without complaint, for the spirit of Christmas had truly taken hold of everyone. As they sang the next verse, they looked to the shining stars above.

_As long as there's Christmas,_

_We'll all be just fine,_

_A star shines above us,_

_Lighting your way and mine_

         The chorus was sung again, the intensity and true meaning of the words striking a chord in Isaac's soul. And it was he who began, alone, the end of the song.

_As long as a guiding star,_

_Shines above,_

_There will always be Christmas…_

         Mia looked at him then, and he caught the love, unjudging and complete, in her eyes, and together they ended.

_So there always will be a time,_

_When the world is filled with peace,_

_And love_

         Isaac looked to the sky then, and a shooting star flashed by, tail glittering. _Christmas truly is magic_, he thought as he hugged Mia tightly. His mind wandered back to the time between when he had left the Elemental Spirits and when he had returned to the world of the living.

         _"Isaac, I hadn't thought to see you here for many years," said a voice, and Isaac turned around suddenly to see a face he'd only seen in dreams for the past four years._

_         "Dad!" he cried, and father and son embraced. _

_         "You have a life, Isaac. And, what's more, you have a love. The spirits will let you return because of that love, Isaac. Promise me you will never lose it."_

_         "Sure dad. I promise."_

         "Mia?" Isaac asked, and she looked into his eyes again.

         "Yes?" she asked quietly.

         "I love you."

         "I love you too, Isaac," she whispered, and, standing side by side at the base of the wonderfully lit Vale Christmas tree, they kissed.

                                             ~*~*~

Vil: The END! Merry Christmas everyone!! And I do not own the song "As Long As There's Christmas" though it was the inspiration for this ENTIRE fic. Happy holidays!!

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